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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28926660">Aftermath</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iceblossom/pseuds/Iceblossom'>Iceblossom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, My First Work in This Fandom, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, They all deserve better, elvira talks to dead people, idk just felt like it, im screaming, thats a big no-no, why did i make my main tdp oc so angry and sad?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:27:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,795</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28926660</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iceblossom/pseuds/Iceblossom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The aftermath of the Final Battle. Del Bar's new queen is bloodthirsty, tensions are high, Queen Aanya has self-doubts, and Viren is still very much alive. Callum is trying to find Rayla, and at the same time is brokering peace with Xadia. What could possibly go wrong?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Callum &amp; Ezran &amp; Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum &amp; Ezran (The Dragon Prince), Callum &amp; Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Original Female Character/Original Male Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Diamond Tears</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elvira needed a plan.</p>
<p>Well. She did have one, but it wasn’t a very good one, at least not so far. She needed to make it better. Safer. More able to protect her subjects. And she needed to do all of those things now, right now.    </p>
<p>When the new queen of Del Bar had taken up the throne due to her parents’ deaths, things were troublesome. Queen Fareeda was dead too, King Ahling was in a coma and his son Kasef had taken control, Queen Aanya was fine and safe, and the newly not-yet-crowned King Ezran was gone without a trace. </p>
<p>Now, peace was the next big thing and she wasn’t having any of it. So, Queen Elvira did what any other smart, capable ruler (at least from Del Bar) would do: closed the borders. Trade was possible, guarded by a relative of her family, but there was no contact and no going in or out of the kingdom unless it was for that purpose. The Del Barians could keep to themselves and live out their perfect lives happily and without worry and they would all be safe and free from any annoying elves and dragon and other humans. </p>
<p>What she didn’t think about, however, would be the letters that had come pouring in after the day she had decreed her first law. And they were all from the other kingdoms, which were the people she was trying to avoid in the first place. How wonderfully fantastic this all was. She had read each influx of letters carefully, over and over, looking for loopholes and possible ways to reply to them and say that the Del Barians — the most perfect people of all — didn’t need their support. Of course, she had found none. King Alisan of Evenere had been helping his wife with her letters for a while now, so he was careful to leave the worst parts out. Queen Aanya knew enough to write a semi-compelling letter, Prince Amir was good enough, and King Ezran knowingly had someone help him.</p>
<p>So, she wrote back that, no, she would definitely not open her borders back up, not even to trade, and ESPECIALLY not to talk about peace. She didn’t need all that. What was the point? She didn’t want to make peace with beings that killed her parents, generations of family members, and drove her ancestors out of their rightful home. </p>
<p>So. Closed borders, a new queen, and guaranteed safety. That was what the kingdom of Del Bar had now. Her subjects didn’t seem to mind it; she hadn’t had any reports on riots or any angry letters written in her direction, so she just assumed that everyone was taken care of.</p>
<p>Her first month as the queen had been a whirlwind of traveling, from the huge city of Serpentounge where all the royals went during the winter for a vacation, to the smallest village. Everyone had paid her compliments like, “All hail the new queen!” and “You look simply magnificent, Your Highness,” and “Oh my gods, she’s gorgeous. Do you think I’ll ever look that splendiferous?”</p>
<p>It was all very nice; she couldn’t have asked for more perfect subjects. They had accommodated her well too, fitting everything to her expensive tastes. She would be the very best queen in all of Del Barian history. History books would talk about her for pages and pages, recounting the story of how she selflessly took up the throne and kept her kingdom safe forever. She would be talked about as one the most famous queens in history, along with Queen Saga and Queen Taiga who had lived so long ago. Saga was one of the most brutal rulers in Del Barian history, fighting with her forces and depleting half of Katolis’ army all in one night, and lived about three hundred years ago. She planned out long, vicious attacks, and favored brutal ways of torture and killing, such as driving a knife through her enemy’s throat, ripping out their insides while their hearts were still beating, or letting them starve or freeze to death. Legend said that she had a crown made out of the finger bones of the Evenereian queen she killed. Taiga, on the other hand, lived almost a thousand years ago, and was a cunning woman, only fighting if she needed to and preferring the high lifestyle of the Del Barian royalty. She knocked out almost all of Neolandia’s budding army and passed most of the laws that Del Bar still had today. Among these rules were ones that she probably only needed back in her time, such as the current queen has to give birth to her first child alone, each branch of royalty has to have at least two heirs, if they have children at all, and everyone in the palaces has to learn how to play at least one instrument. </p>
<p>And then there was Elvira, who had thrown a massive ball in celebration of her new rule and the future of her kingdom.</p>
<p>It was a grand thing, just like how all balls were in Del Bar, but something made it special. Different. Unique. It was fit to her taste, and her taste only, which was a bit different than the traditional likes of previous Del Barian royalty. And instead of enjoying the festivities, she was out on a balcony, watching the glittering lights of Hinterpeak below her. </p>
<p>Her delicate yet strong hands gripped the railing a bit, as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. Her hands fidgeted. She needed to kill off the rest of her Elven prisoners in her dungeons, preferably with her own two hands. It had been a while since she had ripped out an elf’s intestines while the victim was still alive and screaming. Elvira closed her dark eyes for a moment. Her long, blue nails drummed on the edge of the railing, each nail perfectly timed. Her long black hair curved perfectly around her neck in straight edges, perfectly framing her face along with her short bangs. </p>
<p>To put it simply, she was breathtaking, like she had always been. Tall, slim, and imposing, she was a thing of beauty, perfection from her head down to her toes. Her skin was flawless. Her eyes glimmered like sapphires. Her hair was neat and glossy. Heavy white furs spotted with graying black laid upon her body. To anyone else, this would have made them clumsy and weak to walk in, but on her, it looked like she was born to wear it. </p>
<p>Behind her, a door opened, and the echoing sounds of the musicians drafted into her ears. She shot her eyes open and listened for the certain pace and sound of the footsteps behind her. Nothing. Ah, so it was Svea, then. </p>
<p>Elvira’s cousin came to rest beside her on the rail, and her pale, icy blue eyes gazed at her queen. </p>
<p>“Your Majesty,” she started, using the common courtesy all royal family members gave to their relatives who were the rulers, “you should be inside enjoying the festivities, not out here in the cold.”</p>
<p>That was a statement. What was Svea planning?</p>
<p>“I happen to enjoy the cold,” Elvira said back, with a glance at her cousin. “You should know this about your queen, Princess.” </p>
<p>Svea was the only surviving daughter of Elvira’s aunt, Alma, and the closest thing that Elvira had to a threat at the moment. Svea used to have sisters, but one had died as a baby, and Elvira had seen with her own two eyes how the other died. Who’d have thought that some of the stones lining the courtyard would have given way and sent her falling to her death? Tsk tsk. But now she was dead.</p>
<p>“Perhaps,” Svea drawled on. “All I am saying is that you should be having fun. This is your ball.”</p>
<p>“Is Marita still moping about in the ballroom?” Elvira asked, looking at her blue-tipped nails. “I looked at her a few times.”</p>
<p>“Oh, yes,” Svea answered. “But now she is talking to a few of her friends,” she finished with a glance behind her.</p>
<p>Svea was dressed as a snowflake, as the ball was a masquerade. The costume should have been saved for someone who didn’t have orange hair, and Elvira started to suspect that her cousin was now realizing that. At least Elvira looked much better dressed as a snow leopard. </p>
<p>“She needs to get over Mother and Father’s deaths,” Elvira spat, tapping her nails on the railing. “It’s been a month now.”</p>
<p>“Yes. Although, I still don’t think my mother has gotten over them. She’s lost too much in her life, the poor woman.”</p>
<p>“Yes, poor Alma,” Elvira tsked bored. “It is much better that I became queen instead of Marita though.”</p>
<p>Ever since she was little, Elvira had always loathed the law that royal twins, if not cheated off the throne that their parents had, must compete for the right to be named the next ruler. She had counted the years, months, days, minutes, and seconds to her eighteenth birthday. She, no doubt in her mind, would have been selected to become the next queen. All Marita had was a kind heart, expert hunting skills, and the approval of everyone in the palace except for those who counted: her family. </p>
<p>Mother and Father might have chosen her, she thought with a glance into the ballroom. But she could never rule the kingdom. The title must be saved for someone with poise, elegance, and all of the requirements that a true Del Barian royal should have. </p>
<p>Quietness, attentiveness, and excellent skills both inside of the palace and outside; that was what had been instilled in her since she was old enough to comprehend all the many rules and regulations of her home. She was supposed to sit still, study, listen, fight, hunt, one day get married, produce at least two heirs, and look like a glittering ice sculpture for her entire life. </p>
<p>And she was very good at those things. She had perfect marks in her studies, could track an elk or moose from miles away, and perform perfect flips or dives — anything that she had to do for her parents to trust her more into letting her have the throne. </p>
<p>Marita was not good at those things. She could look pretty, she could hunt, she could be an all right diplomat, but she couldn’t fight. Or store any useful information into her brain. She was always asking questions like, “What’s this fighting strategy again?” or “Why does this law exist?” </p>
<p>Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot. Elvira had always gotten a feeling that her parents were partial to their youngest daughter. The way they praised her hunting skills, the way they congratulated her when she managed to pass a test, the way they took her out with them for special parent-daughter bonding days, (which DIDN’T include her, by the way). Way to make your other child feel left out.</p>
<p>She didn’t want their affection anyways. </p>
<p>Elvira tapped one of her white diamond bracelets with a finger. Her mother had given it to her for her seventeenth birthday, and she wore it every day. She didn’t know why, maybe it was because it was pretty, or that it was identical to twenty-five other bracelets that she had received, or it was one of the last connections she had to her mother. Blegh. </p>
<p>Svea grunted in agreement. Since Elvira was still seventeen and her parents had died before making their choice on who got to rule next, Elvira’s aunt and uncles had whispered amongst themselves for a few days and declared her as queen. Momentous. </p>
<p>“What of Adrius?” Elvira asked, as winningly as she could. Her boyfriend had been at the ball too, but she hadn’t met up with him yet.</p>
<p>“He’s in there, but he’s looking for you,” Svea hummed. “I told him that I would send you in after we talked. I’m guessing that he wants a dance.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” was all Elvira said. “All right. I suppose I’ll go in now.”</p>
<p>Svea nodded and bowed, deeper than the one Elvira gave her. “Of course, Your Grace.”</p>
<p>Elvira walked quietly, step by step back into the ballroom. Behind her, Svea watched with careful, calculating, cold, icy eyes. </p>
<p>_________________________</p>
<p>“Daddy,” Clara whined, “can we puh-lease go back inside? I want you to read another story to me!”</p>
<p>Alisan sighed. It had been a month without Fareeda. A month since she disappeared — or died. A month without seeing her gorgeous smile, a month without seeing her happy green eyes, a month without her waking up beside him and having her plant a gentle good morning kiss on his lips. He missed her so much. </p>
<p>“No, Clara,” he replied. “We can’t. We’re waiting for your aunt, remember?”</p>
<p>His four-year-old daughter groaned and sat down with a huff on the cobblestones. For once, the sun was out and shining, and not hidden behind the damp clouds and heavy rain that Evenere usually received. </p>
<p>Alisan hated it. </p>
<p>Fareeda should be here, he thought. She should be out here with us enjoying the rare sunlight and warmth of the afternoon. But she isn’t, he ended bitterly. </p>
<p>Queen Fareeda of Evenere, his sweet caring wife, had gone missing a month earlier. Viren had sent shadow assassins to dispose of the human rulers, and one had attacked her while she was on her way home, traveling between the brackish waters that one had to pass through to get to the island kingdom of Evenere. Guards said that she was pushed overboard and held underwater until her air bubbles stopped coming to the surface, but then one of the guards had vanquished the assassin and it had let go, and she was swept down the current, still alive, (or so they thought). The part that she was traveling through was rough and had strong currents that could drown anyone in Evenere, despite their superior swimming skills. </p>
<p>They hadn’t found a body. Yet. Alisan wasn’t giving up hope that she wasn’t dead, but a small fraction lodged deep down inside him knew the horrible truth. If the currents didn’t kill her, then an alligator or a shoal of piranhas certainly would. </p>
<p>And their daughter still didn’t quite understand the concept of death yet. Alisan wasn’t and would never be in the mood to talk about it, and his sister-in-law had been gone since word of the assassination, on a boat looking for a body. </p>
<p>Alisan squinted his eyes in the sunlight and sighed again. Evenere’s palace was half-built on the water and connected to all the rivers and streams that made up the tiny kingdom. If Fareeda was swept away, surely, sooner or later, the river would deposit her here, where she could reunite with her family. </p>
<p>Then again, it might bring her back, but she may not be alive. </p>
<p>Alisan rubbed his temples, thinking. The last month had been absolute turmoil. With no queen to rule over Evenere, Clara was automatically the ruler since it was a queendom. Of course, a four-year-old who spent her days catching frogs and swimming in the rivers wasn’t fit to be a ruler, so Fareeda’s sister Elise had taken over as regent until Clara chose to rule. </p>
<p>Elise wasn’t doing too well either. She was distraught and full of grief, and couldn’t stop crying. It’s not like anyone else in the palace was better off. Alisan couldn’t think straight without Fareeda. She was his world. The reason he woke up in the morning. (Literally.) He couldn’t imagine doing anything without her. </p>
<p>And Clara. Fareeda’s poor, poor little daughter didn’t understand what was going on. She still thought her mother was at the Pentarchy meeting. She didn’t understand yet that there was a huge chance she may never see her mother again, and be the queen at such a young age. </p>
<p>It was too soon to lose a queen that young. Ever since they said their wedding vows in front of the entire Pentarchy five years ago, they had promised to protect each other. Now, Alisan couldn’t even do that. Fareeda’s birthday had come and gone, without anyone saying a word, save for the tears he cried that night.</p>
<p>Clara’s attention was now on a tiny green frog hopping on the cobblestones by her feet. She scooped it up and stared at it intently.</p>
<p>“Helllloooo, Mr. Frog,” she said, stroking its back with her pinky finger. “Do you know where my Mommy is?” she asked. The frog ribbited, which probably meant something along the lines of “No, but I will most certainly keep an eye out for her, Princess.” </p>
<p>Clara sighed and let the frog down. “Thanks anyway. Daddy, he said no,” she reported as the frog hopped back away to the nearby marshes.</p>
<p>Alisan sighed. “That’s too bad,” he muttered. He lowered his head, thinking. </p>
<p>A long time later, a small thudding sound made Alisan look up. Clara was now staring at a toad that was hopping across her feet. And one of the largest royal ships had touched down at the dock. He rushed past through the guards moving off of the ship and stopped right by Elise.</p>
<p>“Well?” he asked. “Did you find her?! Is she okay? She’s still on the ship, right? She’s just tired.”</p>
<p>Elise looked up into his eyes, wet silver tears in hers.</p>
<p>“Elise.” Alisan’s voice shook. “She’s on the ship resting . . . right?”</p>
<p>Elise looked down at her hands. For the first time, Alisan noticed that she was holding something. She held it up to him.</p>
<p>Bloody, broken pieces of Fareeda’s crown. </p>
<p>It was fresh. Alisan’s head went fuzzy. No. No, no, no, no, no. She couldn’t be gone. She wasn’t gone. Fareeda was not gone. He sank down, in tears. </p>
<p>“Daddy,” Clara said, wiping tears away from his eyes, “why are you crying?” </p>
<p>_________________________</p>
<p>Salim flipped a page in his book. It was an extremely old book that detailed the Neolandian-Katolian war that happened about five hundred years ago. He had already read the entire three-thousand-page book for his history tutor but found himself drawn back to it.</p>
<p>That was what he always did when he was anxious. He read and read and read and read, picking longer books, because when he finished one, his mind always escaped to the thing that troubled him. </p>
<p>So far, he was on page five. It had been two hours. </p>
<p>Blah blah blah, Queen Aisha ticked off Katolis by growing her army, blah blah blah, some of King Spruce’s unruly subjects had attacked a Neolandian royal caravan, blah blah blah, the two kingdoms had to pay tribute to Queen Lavender and King Edvin so they could pass through their kingdoms to fight. Duren and Del Bar respectively. Blah. </p>
<p>The naming system was interesting back then; instead of the regular names everybody in the five kingdoms had now, people were named after their surroundings. Five hundred years ago, while some people still had their surrounding names, the humans transitioned to actual names instead of weird plant or animal or feature names. </p>
<p>Salim found it harder and harder to concentrate. In his hindsight, perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to read about war, especially with all of the tension going on right now in the world. </p>
<p>Kasef was dead. He and the rest of his family had received the news a week after the incident on the Storm Spire. His mind still echoed the horrible wailing noises that his older sister, Sharifa, had made when she heard the news. She wasn’t doing well these days. None of the royal family was. </p>
<p>Sharifa, though, was a whole different story. Salim didn’t remember much of how his sister acted before their mother’s death, but once their mother died, Sharifa’s entire personality changed. She wouldn’t come out of her room for days, and became quiet, screaming at anyone or anything that touched her. She was often in the library, reading, or writing down random thrown-together words. </p>
<p>Kasef had once touched her shoulder for her to come to eat lunch, and she had started screaming wildly like she had been stabbed. King Ahling had come running in to see what was the matter, only to find Kasef sighing, while Sharifa continued screaming. Poor girl.</p>
<p>Since Sharifa wasn’t fit to rule, Salim’s older brother, Amir, was the reigning king until Ahling woke up. If he woke up at all. </p>
<p>Salim had visited his father multiple times in the royal physician’s healing rooms, and each time he looked worse and worse. He knew that he should be grateful that his father was alive. He knew that he should be relieved, and happy to know that his father was able to be saved. But he just couldn’t be. Why did this happen to him? </p>
<p>He could hate Viren. Salim wanted to loathe Viren with all his heart. But he just couldn’t. Viren was dead and there was nothing he could ever do about it, no matter how much he wanted to scream and cry and ask him why he had killed his father. </p>
<p>Ahling was the lucky one. Two of the princesses of Del Bar had lost both of their parents, and King Alisan of Evenere and his daughter had lost Queen Fareeda. Not to mention the Moonshadow Elves killing King Harrow as well. </p>
<p>He sighed and pushed the ladder that he used to climb up onto his cornered bookshelf towards him. The humming of the wheels far below him was a comforting sound, and he threw the pillow he was slouching onto the ground. </p>
<p>He carefully climbed down the ladder, picked up the pillow, and placed it gently on top of a few others on a nearby bench, nestling it perfectly into place. He placed the war book back on the bottom shelf and walked out of the library without a word. The librarian peered down from her chair, removing her round spectacles, and oddly stared at him. Salim guessed that she was presumably thinking that it was strange for her not to leave with a book or two (or three). He didn’t feel like reading at the moment. </p>
<p>Salim desperately needed to see how his two youngest sisters were doing. Talora and Nijah, like the rest of their family, were slightly (or more than slightly) on-edge after everything that had recently happened. Talora and Nijah were these bouncy, hyper little girls who had, by far, the biggest and brightest personalities out of anyone Salim had ever met. They had, however, both changed drastically when they learned of Kasef’s death.</p>
<p>Nijah wouldn’t stop carrying Kasef’s broken crown around, which made everyone in the palace more than slightly uncomfortable. She hardly spoke, and when she did, it came out in a whisper. </p>
<p>Talora had run away to the stables, caring for Kasef’s horse. (She liked it for its kind eyes.) She also never spoke unless it was to Nijah, who happened to wind up in the stables with her, or if it was to ask one of her siblings to pass a seasoning during dinner. </p>
<p>Salim feared they were becoming like Sharifa.</p>
<p>He glanced down the hallway and saw one of his sisters, Aquila, carrying a massive stack of books from the library. She leaned against the large wooden doors, closing them, and continued walking. She didn’t seem to see him as her vision was even more impaired than usual with the stack of books blocking her view.</p>
<p>“Hey, Aquila,” he said, waving a bit to get her attention.</p>
<p>Aquila peeked around the corner of her book pile and tilted her head up to get her glasses to stay up. Her face broke into a wide grin. </p>
<p>“Salim! Hi, hi, hi, hello, hi, Salim,” she said moving as quickly as she could over to him. </p>
<p>“Hi, Aquila,” Salim repeated to the ball of energy that was his sister. “What are you doing?”</p>
<p>“Well I was going to read in the library for some peace and quiet, but, oh my goodness, Sanura brought her leopard in there. It was all growling and purring, and it was all just very annoying, you know? Sanura was there for a study session with one of her friends, and was like, ‘Aquila, would you like to study with us?’ And I said, ‘No thank you. I already know all of the material. But I think I will come back when your leopard isn’t in here.’ And so I left. And the librarian — can you believe her? — told me that I can only have seventeen books out of the library this time. SEVENTEEN?! Nobody can POSSIBLY be expected to do minimal amounts of reading and research with only SEVENTEEN BOOKS. I mean, that’s just insane, don’t you think?” </p>
<p>Salim shifted his feet on the carpet. Aquila was the smartest in their family, and it hurt to think that she wouldn’t have had access to the grand library that their palace held if she hadn’t been adopted. She’d just be a lowly maid that would be constantly squinting since she wouldn’t have enough money to afford the smallish rectangular glasses that sat on her face. Wages in Neolandia were distributed as evenly as they could be, but there just wasn’t enough for everybody.</p>
<p>“Incredibly awful!” Salim agreed. “Still afraid of Sanura’s leopard, huh?”</p>
<p>“I do not like it,” agreed Aquila. “Not at all. It scares me because literally at any time, it could kill me. Like, just snap and kill me. Who wouldn’t be afraid of that?!”</p>
<p>“Spots is a sweetheart,” Salim argued. “She would never kill anyone. Do you know how many times Father found baby Talora and Nijah around her alive? A lot. That leopard isn’t a killer.”</p>
<p>“Well when you’re in the afterlife because the leopard killed you, I will be saying something along the lines of ‘I told you so.’”</p>
<p>“Sure, okay,” muttered Salim. “Do you know where Amir is?”</p>
<p>Aquila’s face scrunched up in a grimace. “Probably in the —in his — throne room. Doing work. Or whatever he does as the reigning king.”</p>
<p>Salim sighed. “It’s nearly lunchtime. Can you go get Sharifa?”</p>
<p>“Sure,” replied Aquila, “but can you go get—”</p>
<p>“Sure. I’ll get Amir to calm her down.”</p>
<p>“Thanks.”</p>
<p>Salim bit his lower lip and hurried off.</p>
<p>_________________________</p>
<p>“What’s wrong, Aanya?”</p>
<p>Aanya looked up from the spot where she was mulling over the fact of pulling her troops from the Breach. Her very best friend in the world, Iris, and her former regent, Marigold, were looking at her with mixed sympathy and worry in their eyes.</p>
<p>“Hmm? What do you mean?” Aanya asked, drumming her fingers on the war table.</p>
<p>“It’s just — well, you’ve been looking over the table for quite a long time now,” explained Iris. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do?”</p>
<p>Iris was always full of good ideas. Iris was the one who proposed ideas and helped Aanya along as they thought of them together, as well as being one of the only people Aanya could trust in the palace. She was bold and bright, and funny and trustworthy, which was why Aanya had become friends with her in the first place.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Aanya replied curtly. “I think I have. I don’t want to take all of my troops away from the Breach since there are still the occasional skirmishes with annoyed elves or the likes. Katolis is taking their soldiers away in a steady small stream, and I was thinking that we should do that as well.”</p>
<p>Across from her, Marigold nodded. “That’s a fine idea, I think. I’ll send word to General Autumn.” She pulled a few curled papers out from the pouch that hung against her waist. “Just sign these.” She passed them to Aanya.</p>
<p>“After this,” said Iris, “do you wanna go swimming? The water would feel so good.” She nodded at one of the nearby throne room windows which half-showed the shore of the nearby lake. Today, Duren was boiling as the summer set in for a few more months to come. During summertime, Aanya had the least amount of work to do, mainly because it was farming season, and there wasn’t much else to do other than check on the farmers or listen to the problems and complaints of her subjects. She had already completed her lessons for the day and had to see any visitors at four o’clock, so she had time. Everyone in Duren was sluggish during the summer anyway.</p>
<p>Duren was a wonderful place to live, with its hot days and cool summer nights.</p>
<p>“Sure,” Aanya replied, brightly. “I’d love that.” The long scrawls of her name marked the papers, her straight loops going up and down the page. Finally, when it was finished, she handed the papers back to Marigold. </p>
<p>“I’ll send for a few of the Crownguard to watch you two,” said Marigold, putting the papers back in her pouch. “Oh, and Aanya, don’t forget to give me the plans for your birthday ball by tonight either. We need to set up all the decorations.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Aunt Marigold,” Aanya nodded. “Of course. I won’t forget.” And with that, Aanya and Iris walked as quickly as they could in a dignified manner out of the throne room. </p>
<p>Once they had left the room and shut the doors, however, the two friends started walking down the halls, past the guards who lined the corridors. </p>
<p>“I thought we’d never get out of there!” Iris gushed. “I’m so glad.”</p>
<p>“Agreed,” Aanya rushed back. “It was so hot and stuffy, too.”</p>
<p>“My sister set a date for her wedding,” Iris muttered. “July sixteenth. So I won’t be here for that week. Do you think you can manage all the boring meetings without me?”</p>
<p>“Oh, dear,” Aanya said, her face falling in mock sadness. “I do hope so. It will be quite difficult without you, I’m afraid.”</p>
<p>Iris giggled, putting a hand over her mouth to smother her laughs. She was the only person Aanya could tolerate at her meetings, other than Marigold, and Iris attended them whenever she could. It was nice that Aanya could look back to a quiet corner of the room and see that someone was as bored as she was. </p>
<p>At least she also had Marigold. Marigold wasn’t her actual aunt, but she had been Neha’s best friend growing up, so calling her former regent an aunt just sort of stuck. Aanya’s actual aunt, Autumn, was deployed at the Breach as one of Duren’s top generals. Autumn never visited and rarely spoke to Aanya without using her niece's proper title, and Aanya usually only saw her when she was visiting her grandmother, way out in Duren’s countryside. </p>
<p>“I wish I didn’t have to go,” said Iris seriously, as the two girls came to a stop by the palace kitchens. Inside, Aanya could hear the clattering sounds of pots and pans, and chefs scurrying around making dinner. </p>
<p>Aanya gave her friend a lopsided smile. “Don’t worry. At least you get to have wedding cake and drink champagne with all the high-end fancy lords and ladies.” Iris smiled back.</p>
<p>Iris’s sisters, Jasmine and Perdita, weren’t the friendliest people, per se. Iris always complained how they were too bossy or picked on her, but at least Jasmine was getting married in a month so Iris didn’t have to live with her anymore. </p>
<p>“Ooh, I can’t wait for Jasmine to leave,” Iris mumbled with an excited bounce in her step. “She’ll be gone! And I won’t have to see her ever again!”</p>
<p>“Well, you might,” said Aanya pressing her hair down over her crown. “If your parents make you visit her.”</p>
<p>“Well, I won’t go,” Iris said, crossing her arms. “I have no intention of seeing Jasmine ever again.”</p>
<p>“Good luck with that,” hummed Aanya. “Okay, I’ll meet you by the lake in, say, twenty minutes?”</p>
<p>“Sounds good.” Iris rushed off up one of the long spiral staircases to her room.</p>
<p>Aanya did the same, however, she went up a different staircase. This particular staircase led to the royal suites, and all the alike staircases and hallways were meant to trick assassins into getting lost. </p>
<p>Aanya’s bedroom was in the warm, bright top of the palace, where a see-through ceiling had been installed years ago. Anyone looking in from the outside of the palace saw a dark green top, but if anyone was looking from inside of the palace, they would be able to see the person looking in and everything else easily. </p>
<p>Aanya ran up and up and up the staircase until she came to the circular portion of the palace, high in the air. Her bedroom was the farthest away, and the other suites were made for visiting royals or diplomats, and one was saved for the captain of the Crownguard. </p>
<p>She silently walked into her bedroom, past her study table, past the comfortable, fresh linens that her maids had yet to put away, past her huge walk-in closet, (apparently, the first Queen of Duren was a fashionista, because Aanya had never met another royal or court member with a closet as big as hers. She had heard, however, that Queen Elvira’s closet and wardrobe marveled even hers, though) and stopped by the portrait of her mothers. </p>
<p>Aanya always felt their presence when she walked by the large portrait. It was a comforting, “Don’t worry, you’re doing amazing for a ruler of your age”, a reassuring, “We love you, Aanya. Never forget that” whenever she felt uncertain. It was like a hug from the two, promising to guide and protect her even from the afterlife.</p>
<p>She looked up at the painting. Annika’s deep blue eyes sparkled against the vibrant colors of the picture, and Neha’s long braided hair flopped across her chest in a way that looked elegant and beautiful. They wore matching smiles, their pearly white teeth shining in the painted sunlight. </p>
<p>Aanya sighed very quietly and touched her necklace. She rubbed the cold, hard metal and then walked over to her large vanity. She brushed the perfume bottles out of the way, and the pearls that she never wore, and the hair clips that she carefully placed hidden away in her hair each day. She finally picked up a beautiful, ornate jewelry box. It was circular in shape, blue in color, and lined with gold around the edges. Its diamond handle shone in the warm sunlight that filtered through the largest window as she picked it up.</p>
<p>Feeling cool to the touch, she gently took her necklace and placed it ever so carefully in the cushioned blue velvet interior of the box. She put the lid back on and placed the box right where it previously was. </p>
<p>Aanya shielded her eyes as the afternoon rays of the sun shone into her room. The largest window over by her lounge couches was like a little greenhouse. It allowed her to plant whatever she cared for inside of it, being hollowed out so kings and queens could hone their gardening skills. Right now, a few azaleas were starting to pop out, as well as some already-bloomed daisies and huge taro leaves that cast shadows around the room.</p>
<p>Running her hand along with the gold streaks in the green walls, Aanya opened her closet door. Dresses and skirts, all adorned with Duren’s flower motif hung from hangers and needed closet space. Delicate slippers and flats were piled neatly in rows at the bottom of the dresses, and more jewelry in boxes was held on a few shelves. Aanya didn’t need all of the closet space, and more than half of the huge closet was empty, but it was fun to fill the empty closet space with trinkets and treasures that she found on her own. </p>
<p>Aanya pulled open a drawer, looking for her bathing suit. The light sun on her back was hot. Too hot. Like probably how Prince Kasef felt right before she shot an arrow into his head. She could just imagine the sound of ripping, tearing flesh as the arrow sunk into his chest, the loud crack of his skull snapping. And then the bloody mess he was when he finally dropped down to the ground from a way up on the Storm Spire, ravaged by the rocks.</p>
<p>Don’t think about it, don’t think about it, she told herself. Breathe, Aanya.</p>
<p>Aanya took a breath. It was awful. Aanya had never felt remorse for any of the assassins who had been killed by her guards because they were coming to kill her. Kasef was different. If he knew what had happened to him, surely he wouldn’t have wanted to be transformed into that . . . thing. Right? She had talked to Captain Soren after the battle, and he had said that once Kasef noticed the transformation, his face became twisted and warped by fear. </p>
<p>But she had to have killed him, she had to. Otherwise, he would have suffocated Prince Callum. </p>
<p>So why did she feel so bad about it?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Jade</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>One month later, July</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Hall of Relics was a massive chamber located in the middle of Del Bar’s Hinterpeak palace, hidden from everyone other than the current ruler and the high cleric. It was the most bejeweled part of the palace, full of tiny trinkets that each member of the royal family gave some meaning to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Protected by two guards, they made sure that only the current ruler and the blind high cleric, and no one else under any circumstances got in. The Hall was a place where kings and queens could be guided by the spirits of their dead ancestors, without having to worry that prying eyes would overhear anything private that they had to do, with thick, soundproof walls. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Stepping into the Hall each time was like having your throat cleared instantaneously. The first time feels like you’re drowning in smoke; like you’re being kept tucked away in a small space with limited air. To Elvira, it was like her ancestors were turning her over, looking at her, and then deciding that she was acceptable enough and saying something along the lines of, “Yes. She’ll do quite well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Hall of Relics, however, was not supposed to be a place where you felt like your parents hated you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite Elvira having been in the Hall multiple times, for the first time, the Hall felt squished and judging. It was like she could feel the judgemental stares of her parents focused on her, watching her every move, staring at her every step, whispering hateful things about her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She let her gaze sweep over the artifacts of the previous royal family members; Queen Holly’s emerald wedding necklace, King Edvin’s sword, Queen Saga’s crown.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Elvira stopped by the crown. The legends were true. Saga </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>have a crown made out of bones. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She placed her fingers on the crudely chipped sides of the crown. It was cold. Hard. She picked it up and held it in her hands. It was a small thing, really, and it was hard to believe that the bones were once part of a living, breathing human. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Queen Chiara was said to be a brave, strong soul, more than capable of being Evenere’s queen. Her people loved her dearly and would fight and die for her. Alas, it was so sad that Queen Saga had invaded tiny Evenere and killed Chiara. Saga had severed her hand to bring it back as a prize and decided to have the bones thrown together to make a crown. That certainly reminded her niece never to challenge her for the throne. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Elvira slid the crown onto her head. She stiffened and looked at herself in the next artifact: Queen Hedda’s mirror. She had high cheekbones and a straight back, and her eyes looked like sapphires. She glanced up at Queen Saga’s portrait. Their bone structure was alike, and it startled Elvira to see that she looked more like her ancestor than she did her parents. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turning back to the mirror, Elvira marveled at the intricate glasswork. The mirror was tall and wide, with plenty of room to look at herself. It was pretty and silver, studded with multicolored gems everywhere, glinting off everything. History books said that Hedda would spend </span>
  <em>
    <span>hours </span>
  </em>
  <span>with the mirror, looking at her reflection and primping herself up as much as possible. She sounded a lot like Stina. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Speaking of Stina, where was Elvira’s mother’s panel? The last in line, most likely. Elvira walked down, down, down the Hall until she came to the very end. The high cleric Kajsa couldn’t see, so she had been the one to establish her parents’ panel and put their chosen artifacts in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And there it was: her mother’s panel glittered, reflected against the shiny gems in the floor and the walls. A full-body portrait of Stina in her most flattering outfit was hung on the wall beside her portion of the room. The white long-sleeved dress seemed to fit her perfectly, and the pretty collar closed in around her neck, making it look like she was taller than she was (though she was very tall).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her artifact of choice was a narwhal horn. Elvira knew the story of the horn extremely well — Stina had insisted on telling it every year on her birthday to her daughters. Stina came from a long line of dragon slayers. Before Del Bar was formed, Stina’s ancestors were employed to travel into Xadia and vanquish whatever dragons they came into contact with, which wasn’t many actually. Dragons preferred to keep to themselves. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still, whenever they returned with proof that a dragon had died, the people always celebrated, which led to them eventually being considered Del Barian nobility. The narwhal horn was one of the weapons that were used to kill an Ocean wyrm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Elvira turned around and glanced up at the portrait of her parents on the far wall. It was one of their wedding pictures, the one that had been taken down in a hallway to be placed in the Hall. It showed their hands clasped together, lips joined in a kiss. She frowned and continued down one more place to her father’s. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She touched her father’s wedding ring. It was fancy and gold, with the words “</span>
  <em>
    <span>With everlasting love</span>
  </em>
  <span>” carved into the metal. Elvira remembered the cold, smooth touch of it when Florian had hugged her as a child, even when she </span>
  <em>
    <span>insisted </span>
  </em>
  <span>that she didn’t need a hug. It made her heart ache.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No matter. She had come in here to find something else, not to feel sorrowful for the death of her parents. She wasn’t a downcast miserable old woman like Alma. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small corner of the room was dusty, and old, and looked like the perfect place to find a journal. Elvira squeezed in between her mother’s panel and the limited space on the tiled floor and scrabbled around in the dusty darkness to find a loose panel. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There. One moved a little bit. She slid her nails underneath the sharp-edged tile and heaved it up. The force from the contained energy pushed her back, still holding the tile. Setting the tile down gently, Elvira squeezed herself into the enclosed space once again and marveled at how far down the drop was from the loose tile to the stone floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Since the Hall was built in the center of the palace, it was set directly over the middle of the huge mountain the palace was built on. The musty air that wafted up through the center of the mountain was cold and crisp and chilled Elvira down to her bones. She took the loose tile from behind her and tilted it up so it would reflect the gems embedded in the floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nothing. When she shone the sparkling light into the hole in the ground, there was nothing there, save for hard, gray rock. Taiga </span>
  <em>
    <span>said </span>
  </em>
  <span>it would be there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’ll find my journal between Stina and the wall,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she had said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“There’s a loose tile. Try to wedge something under it and pull it out. Shine some light on it, go down, and then you’ll find it.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Liar.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Elvira most certainly had a few choice words for her great-something-grandmother tonight for wasting her time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In my dream, then,” she said, placing the tile back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>_________________________</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fareeda giggled uncontrollably and covered her mouth with her hands. Her happy green eyes danced back and forth, opening and closing. “Wow,” she finally choked out when she could between her laughs. “You sound </span>
  </em>
  <span>just </span>
  <em>
    <span>like Captain Emerald!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A minute ago, Alisan had made a very good impression (if he did say so himself) of Fareeda’s permanently grouchy fighting instructor. He cracked a smile.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Why thank you,” he said, smiling. “I’m glad I could make Her Majesty laugh.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alisan sighed and flicked his eyes open. The ceiling looked unfriendly and cold, a reminder of what he had lost.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Fareeda was dead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her funeral had been a month ago, in June. Alisan had forced himself to look at his wife’s body when Elise brought her to the palace, and it had made him gag.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She had most definitely drowned. Her eyes were bloodshot, her mouth slightly open, her green eyes dimmed. She had bite marks on her bloody throat, which the doctors said had been gotten after she died from an animal who had decided she wasn’t worth the meal. Her taut dress had been torn slightly apart, exposing her shoulders and a bit of her legs and her lower back, with more noticeable tears and rips in the fabric. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her body had quickly been prepared for her funeral, the doctors trying to make her look as pristine as possible. It didn’t exactly work out. Everyone could still see the teeth marks on her neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her face had looked so serene, so beautiful as she was lowered down into her casket. She looked peaceful, happy, almost, that she had gotten a proper funeral to the afterlife. Her pale skin was illuminated by the candles that were set around her as her citizens watched her be sent off into the nearby river. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alisan’s brain kept replaying the happiest times in their lives together, from his proposal to their wedding, to Clara’s birth. He still remembered how they first met.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Who are you?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A red-haired girl’s head popped up from behind a bush. Alisan blinked, looked at her, and cocked his head. These bushes were actually </span>
  </em>
  <span>really tall</span>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Alisan,” he answered. “Who are</span>
  </em>
  <span> you</span>
  <em>
    <span>?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m Fareeda! I haven’t seen you here before, so where’d ya come from?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m new,” replied Alisan. “Me and my parents came here a few days ago, ‘cause Queen Rosette and King Ash invited us.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hey, that’s who </span>
  </em>
  <span>my</span>
  <em>
    <span> Mommy and Daddy are!” Fareeda crowed happily. “I’ma princess.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Cool!” Alisan replied. “I don’t really have any friends here yet.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I'll be your friend! My sister is</span>
  </em>
  <span> boring </span>
  <em>
    <span>because she’s a</span>
  </em>
  <span> baby </span>
  <em>
    <span>and, is like, </span>
  </em>
  <span>one year old</span>
  <em>
    <span>, so my Mommy said I can’t play with her yet. Wanna go catch frogs?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Alisan smiled at her. “Sounds great!” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beside him, Clara shifted her position and squished against her father. The poor girl had been having horrible nightmares ever since her mother’s funeral, and Alisan had let her sleep with him for a time. He brushed a strand of her brown hair away from her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Clara’s nose twitched as she settled in for some more sleep. Alisan sighed, staring up at the ceiling again. She was four years old and already technically the queen of a nation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, Fareeda. You left us too soon.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>_________________________</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ezran watched as the Crow Master opened up a scroll with the wax seal of Del Bar on it. The Crow Master cleared his throat and began to read:</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“To King Ezran of Katolis: You simply do not understand Del Bar’s predicament. As I have told you in each letter, the borders will not be opening up. Trade is kept very small so everyone is still getting the resources they need, albeit limited. I have talked to the other rulers and my opinion stands. The borders will be kept closed, and are not opening up any time soon. I would advise you to think about your constant flow of letters to me, and perhaps if you do not, I may close trade altogether. The choice is yours. Signed, Queen Elvira of Del Bar.” The Crow Master finished and looked ashamed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” he said, “that’s — that’s what she, um, said.” He folded the letter in his hands, crumpling it a bit. Ezran sighed with worry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what to do,” he said woefully to Corvus, who was standing on the side of the throne. “If Queen Elvira doesn’t open her borders back up, then how will we make peace?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll find a way,” Corvus assured his king. “Not all elves are awful like she talks about, and if we show her that there are elves like—” He cut himself off quickly, stuttering. “My apologies,” he said. “I meant—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like Rayla,” answered Ezran gloomily from his stone-pale throne. Ezran, Callum, and Rayla had been at the Moon Nexus for about a week when Rayla suddenly vanished in the middle of the night. Nothing of hers had been left, save for a letter that told the two princes where she was going and why they shouldn’t come after her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Callum was a nervous wreck, opting right then and there once he had found Rayla’s letter that he would go out and find her. Ezran had told him that, no he shouldn’t because Rayla could take care of herself fine and could fight if needed. Despite it all (and after an argument), Callum had agreed that the twosome and Soren needed to get back to Katolis Castle. Ezran knew how Callum felt. Ezran wanted to find his friend too, but the most they could do at the moment was be a safe pillar of support for their people in Katolis. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What was he talking about again? Del Bar? Oh, yes, back to planning. Currently, the young king was in a council meeting, a private one he had requested with just Corvus and Opeli. Opeli was supposed to be here soon, but Ezran and Corvus had already started without her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s just — what if Elvira doesn’t change her mind?” Ezran asked. “I don’t think we can stop her, or, as she said, she’ll close trade completely.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A good ruler wouldn’t do that,” said Corvus. “It would tick off her subjects enough that they would start a riot or two. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was one now, what with all of the limited trading Del Bar can do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have you ever been there?” asked Ezran curiously. “To Del Bar with Aunt Amaya? What’s it like?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Opeli snorted, coming in through the great wooden doors that led to the throne room. “Del Bar? Yes, I’ve been there. They’re so extra and so rich that instead of the normal metal pieces to their war table,” she said pointing to the colored table by the windows, “they have bejeweled ones instead. They’re all made out of some kind of precious metal or gemstone, colored coordinated for each kingdom. They’re the richest kingdom, and they want you to know it, so they spend thousands making their palace look shiny and expensive and valuable so you’re jealous of them. Their lifestyle is not for me, but I’m sure that someone’s been jealous.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They sound . . .” Ezran trailed off, searching for the right word. “Interesting,” he said at last. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Opeli thought for a moment. “They are. In two, very different ways, from what I’ve seen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How do you mean?” asked Ezran.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, take Queen Elvira and her sister, Princess Marita, for example. They haven’t visited Katolis much, but have you ever noticed the stark contrast in their personalities?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sort of,” said Ezran. “I never really talked to them. They seemed occupied with things.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Opeli continued, “the difference between the two is very easy to see. Elvira is a ruthless, pompous killer, and Marita, to put it simply, is an idiot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ezran jerked his head back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Never</span>
  </em>
  <span>, while he lived, did he ever think that Opeli would say something bad about another member of royalty, </span>
  <em>
    <span>especially </span>
  </em>
  <span>since they weren’t from her birth kingdom. It was funny, in a way, to see her completely abandon the fact that she was supposed to be an impartial high cleric. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’ve noticed that they’re different,” Ezran said, “but I hadn’t noticed that much of their personalities. I kind of assumed they were like Soren because he and Elvira were always sparring against each other.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anything but,” muttered Opeli. “They are like Soren in a way with their physical capabilities, but they’re nothing compared to him. I was once stationed at the border attending to some of the soldiers and helping them with their religious problems, and we were attacked by a battalion of Sunfire elves. Elvira and her uncle happened to be there as well, meeting with your Aunt Amaya, and they fought them. I saw everything — Elvira cornered herself against a wall, looking scared and weak, and waited for a few Sunfire elves to come near her. They could tell she was a princess by the look of her tiara, and they advanced. And then Elvira killed them. She was up lighting fast and drove her knife into their chests. And then she </span>
  <em>
    <span>smiled</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She was </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy </span>
  </em>
  <span>that she killed them, and then went off to kill more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Marita, like I said, isn’t the smartest. She’s kind and sweet, and always does what you tell her to. She’s always smiling and happy, and I’ve never seen her fight in a battle, but I doubt she’s that good at it. She’s a sweet girl, but oblivious to everything going on around her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve met Marita as well,” said Corvus from his place beside the throne. “She always has this big smile on her face that she never takes off.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, she seems nice!” Ezran exclaimed. “Maybe, if we talk to her instead of Elvira, then she can change her sister’s mind. Maybe the borders will open back up!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Opeli grimaced. “King Ezran, while that seems like a good plan, it is extremely hard to change a Del Barian’s mind. They’re quite stubborn. Time and time again, I’ve seen King Florian and his siblings bicker with each other, only for the fight to continue. And I’ve also seen some,” she coughed lightly into her hand and looked ashamed, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>tense</span>
  </em>
  <span> royal family relationships like that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Across from the throne, Corvus shot Opeli a look. “Askel and Ilona? They’re . . . interesting,” he agreed, shaking his head slightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ezran didn’t know who Askel and Ilona were, but apparently, they were part of Del Bar’s royal family. Maybe an uncle and aunt to the Queen? Or cousins? He’d have to look it up in a book or ask later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Corvus looked back at Ezran and sighed. “Askel and Ilona are some of Queen Elvira’s aunts and uncles. They’re the most frivolous royal couple, and not too pleasant to be around. Maybe that’s where Elvira gets it from.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Opeli nodded solemnly. “But if we could get Alma on our side—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And Kjell—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then it could work,” finished Opeli. “Of course, Qini and Bengt would have to be convinced, as well as the Queen’s Serpentounge relatives.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ezran cocked his head. “I have no idea who these people are,” he said. “Are they all part of Elvira’s family?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Opeli nodded again. “Yes. The Queen has quite a few relatives, all due to her paternal grandmother and paternal great-aunt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ezran thought for a moment. “I’ve been a bit hesitant on asking this,” he admitted, “but what if we have a party? You know, to celebrate the end of the war? We could invite all the Elven rulers and their families, and all the human rulers too! Then, we could talk about peace face-to-face with Elvira and win her over! And we could also talk to the other rulers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Opeli’s lips quirked upwards in a small smile. “That wouldn’t be such a bad idea,” she said. “I’ve been thinking about something like that as well but hadn’t worked out all the details. That sounds wonderful, King Ezran.” She waved to the Crow Master. "Notify the other council members." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ezran beamed at her, his heart still aching for Callum, who was probably missing Rayla an insane amount now. Rayla would be all right. She was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rayla </span>
  </em>
  <span>for the moon’s sake!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She just had to come back home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>__________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayla pulled her hood over her head as a light, misty rain began to fall. Silver sprinkles of rain drifted down her clothing, and she shivered, pulling the hood tighter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her food had run out about a day ago. Surprisingly, it was very easy to store a bunch of grubs in a small package, using a few magic easily-crushable Moon diamonds to transform the worms into something delectable. She only ate the grubs when she had to, and survived on berries and clean river water when they were available. Thankfully, she had been in a class that taught about what you could and couldn’t eat in the Human Kingdoms back in the Silvergrove. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It had been about two weeks since she had left the Moon Nexus, but she hadn’t expected to run out of grubs so early into her journey. And what with the sudden rain, any berries she would find would surely be thoroughly soaked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Over time, the drizzle became a full-fledged thunderstorm, and Rayla had to take shelter under a tree. The tree’s huge branches mostly covered her from the rain, but a few annoying droplets hit her in the face. Perhaps, if the weather was good to her tomorrow, she would continue her journey. Viren needed to be found and killed, at any cost. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Claudia . . . Well, Rayla would have to figure out what to do with her once she found the former mage-in-training. Although, she wasn’t entirely sure that Claudia was even with her father. Claudia must have seen Viren fall or assumed that he had been killed when he didn’t come back to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still, Rayla didn’t doubt that Claudia was more dangerous than Viren, even with her budding magical prowess. Callum had said that Claudia delivered a huge magical blast at the beginning of the Storm Spire battle, one that had knocked out or killed members of Viren and Janai’s army.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, if she could do that with the Sunfire high priest’s staff, then what could she do with nothing but her ingredients? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rayla smushed herself against the tree, trying to warm herself. Although she tried to keep her eyes open, her eyes slowly fluttered shut, and let sleep overtake her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Another day, another league of her journey completed. </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thanks for reading! we're looking at a monthly chapter, so hopefully i can give you guys one next month. i wanted to flesh out Evenere and Del Bar a bit, and fill you in on what was happening in the two kingdoms, as well as check in with Rayla and Ezran</p><p>if anyone is confused why in the last chapter Elvira thought that Xadia killed her parents: she ripped up a bunch of Ezran's letters to her, as well as the one saying that Viren sent the shadow assassins, so nobody in Del Bar knows either</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>eeeeeeee first work ever!!! i hope you all like this story and my OCs as much as i do! :) i don't own the dragon prince!! the characters Nijah, Talora, and Salim belong to khaleesi-of-trolls</p>
<p>edit: fixed some grammar and formatting issues because i usually write on Wattpad. if i italicize part of the word, it spaces the word out, so just try to ignore that</p></blockquote></div></div>
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